NJMC Approves Koppers Coke redevelopment plan

The New Jersey Meadowlands Commission last week adopted a redevelopment plan for the Koppers Coke industrial site in South Kearny, paving the way for a revitalization of the 130-acre tract and another 237 acres across 73 largely abandoned or underused industrial properties.

The plan, called the Koppers Coke Peninsula Redevelopment Plan, allows for several uses in the new zone, including intermodal, warehousing, and light industrial facilities, flex space, data centers, business support services, retail, hotels, boat sales, and boat rental and repair facilities.

While the properties are located in Kearny, they fall under the NJMC’s jurisdiction.

Kearny Mayor Al Santos said town officials worked closely with the NJMC to develop the plan. “This was a very good collaborative effort and we are pleased with the results,” Santos said.

Anticipating the approval of the NJMC’s plan, Kearny several weeks ago issued a request for proposals from developers for Koppers Coke, which is owned by the Hudson County Improvement Authority, and two adjacent tracts, the former Standard Chlorine site owned by the town, and the former Occidental Petroleum site owned by Tierra Solutions.

The three property owners have a shared interest in promoting development across all of the tracts.

Without the other two properties, access to Koppers Coke is limited and the Tierra site is a much smaller tract, according to Santos.

“We have a joint interest here,” he explained. “Everyone’s property is more valuable if they’re marketed together.”

The three properties have the potential for more than a million square feet of space, he added.

The area within the redevelopment plan is located along the Hackensack River and near major transportation hubs including the NJ Turnpike, Route 280 and Routes 1&9 for easy access to New York City and Port Newark, as well as Amtrak and NJ Transit rail lines that pass through the redevelopment area.

In a prepared statement, NJMC Executive Director Marcia Karrow called the peninsula “a strategically located area that literally positions companies for success.”